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Summer Rainbow Lettuce cups- wholefood, plant based

A super fresh, crisp explosion of summer's best flavors in easy and healthy way.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Course Appetizer
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Blender to make sweet and spice sauce

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Fresh Mango - chopped - 1/2 inch size atleast
  • 1 Avocado medium ripe- chopped into small cubes
  • 1 Cucumber- chopped into 1/2 inch size pieces
  • 8 cherry tomatoes - sliced
  • 3/4 cup corn - can use fresh corn cooked or frozen and thawed
  • 1/2 red onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
  • 10 mint leaves finely chopped
  • 1 deseeded jalapeno finely chopped can use just 1/2 of it if spice intolerant
  • 1/4 cup grated carrots- optional
  • 1/4 cup purple cabbage finely shredded- optional
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon juice
  • 1 bunch Butter lettuce leaves

Sweet and spice sauce

  • 8-10 dates soak in 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger fresh roughly chopped
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 jalapeno or chipotle pepper can just use chipotle or paprika powder instead

Instructions
 

  • Take a wide bowl, and add red onions, jalapeno, mint, cilantro, tomatoes, grated carrots, and cabbage. Toss to mix.
    Then add the mango and avocado pieces. Follow it with corn.
    If using frozen corn, just stick them in microwave for 45 sec or so. Or use cooked fresh corn.
    Toss to mix while making sure the avocado does not get too mushy.
    Now add lemon juice, salt, pepper per your taste and mix gently.
  • Get your lettuce leaves ready by just cutting from the base of butter lettuce. Smaller leaves work for little hands and make great cups. Wash them well and pat dry.

Sweet and Spice sauce

  • Add 8-10 dates to 3/4 to 1 cup water and microwave for 2 min so that they soften.
    Now, add all the ingredients mentioned above, including the softened dates along with the water in a blender and blitz into a smooth paste.
    If too spicy, add in one or two more dates.
    If you need more heat, add another half of a pepper or a tsp paprika/ chipotle powder.
    You can store this sauce in the fridge for upto 2 weeks in an air tight container.

Assembly

  • Take a lettuce leaf. Hold it in our palm shaping it like a cup. Add the fresh salad filling followed by a small spoonful of sweet and spice sauce.
    Fold and bite for explosion of rainbow of flavors and freshness in your mouth..